How do I learn to roleplay? Specifically, how do I get into a character's mind well enough to decide which exact words they say in accordance to their personality that is not my own? I want to keep playing tabletop RPGs for the story, combat and exploration, and part of me craves human interaction in small doses so I can't "just play a video game", but it's really mentally exhausting for me to the point of being not fun.
Of course I can get by when I want to suggest a course of action, or I feel my character agrees or disagrees with someone, but those are short sentences and far between. What's hard for me is separating how I think from how my character thinks when I as a player have nothing in particular to say on a topic.
Whenever I think about speaking in-character, I have to think "Am I sure my character's opinion and their manner of expressing it are consistent with all the traits I want to convey?", which takes too long and by then the in-character conversation has moved on. When inspiration finally strikes me and I can spit out a half-decent line of dialogue quickly, I'm never sure if it actually makes sense for my character's intended personality or just sounds dramatic.
In real life, I only speak when spoken to, when I seriously have something to add to the discussion, or when I want something. But in games I've been pressured to participate more when I haven't said anything in 10 minutes, and my last group kicked me out for being too quiet. Playing a mute character probably isn't the answer, because I've been in a group with one, and she was one of the most nuanced and likeable PCs I've ever seen through eloquent descriptions of body language, which I have even more trouble writing on the fly.
Please try to give a more detailed answer than "practice", because I don't want to be kicked out of any more groups.
>How do I learn to roleplay? Specifically, how do I get into a character's mind well enough to decide which exact words they say in accordance to their personality that is not my own?
FIggure out what you would do in a situation. Now do the opposite.
Blake Collins
You don't seem to understand my question. 1. My character is not always the exact opposite of me, just different in some ways. 2. This is about speech, not actions. What my character DOES is usually simple enough because there are only a handful of options that aren't suicidal. What my character SAYS is difficult for me.
Brayden Hughes
Just roleplay yourself then, you're doing way too much self analysis for a fucking game
Camden Garcia
OP does not appear to be someone who can do human interactions beyond analysis and flowcharts.
Jose Perry
Study improv acting. Learning to get in character and making snap decisions in character is hard but get comfortable enough with it and you'll be fine.
Camden Bailey
>Now do the opposite. Is an orange the exact opposite of an apple in every way? By your logic there is no difference between (metaphorically) roleplaying an orange and a banana, because neither of them is an apple.
John Morgan
You might legitimately have autism.
On the chance you don't however, some observations;
>Keep it simple Nuance is great, but it is not the end all be all. Performative creative endeavors follow different rules and ask for different things than those which are written-- compare, for example, the written works of a novel with the entirely oral/performative one of an epic a la The Iliad. A guy named Walter Ong went through a bunch of written works vs. oral works and concluded that they really have different needs and requirements.
What this means for roleplaying is that your desire for a holistic, comprehensive, internally consistent character is working against itself. Far better, instead, to grab an epithet and flesh that out-- take "rugged warrior" and give it a quick spin, or "arrogant wizard" or "preachy priest". The more comfortable you get, the more you can add.
Alternatively--and this is what I personally suggest--go get checked for autism.
Tyler Ward
But there are more similarities between an orange and a banana than between either of those and an apple.
My bananamancer is super easy to RP almost entirely because I am myself an apple.
I know I have autism. Apparently either my symptoms are different from those of other anons of Veeky Forums who also have autism, or they've figured out a method that I haven't yet. I don't want to give up roleplaying for life because of my autism, but it does make non-answers like "just do it" and "turn off your brain" a bit irritating.
Angel Reyes
alright user, I have similar issues to you and although I mainly GM I have had to figure this out myself. What I found is that all you really need for any character is two pieces of information: their ideal situation and their worst case scenario. The first is wherever they are at their most comfortable, confident and secure. The second is where they are out of their comfort zone, where they're scared and weak.
Your goal when playing the character is then simply to try and avoid the second scenario and get to the first. Always try to change your current situation to the one in which you are at your best, or at minimum isn't the one where you're at your worst.
Bentley Moore
The answer is "practice". BUT, you don't have to practice by being in games. Practice by writing. Writing stories about characters who are different then yourself will help you explore how they would act, and as you do it you will get better at it. And as you get better at it, it will become more automatic, until you reach the point some authors get to where it seems way TOO automatic.
Also, in the meantime, don't be afraid to do a bit of a personality-self insert and just shaking things up occasionally when you see the opportunity. Getting used to participating more is more important than trying to make a nuanced character right now.
Isaac Flores
The issue, I think, is that there isn't a concrete purely analytical way of looking at roleplaying, it's basically improv and improv is an art form that is very nebulous. Turning yourself off is a big part of it. It's not necessarily a non answer, but I understand your frustrations with those responses, while accurate, they don't really help someone in your situation. This user has it right. Use one distinct character trait to roleplay at first, then if you feel comfortable enough, start expanding on that. The most important thing is to have fun with it though. If you aren't having fun, then what's the point.
Wyatt Wright
I'm going to read that later. Thanks. I never thought of that and it seems doable. Thanks. I,ve never written a complete story in my life, but if that's what it takes, it's worth a try. Thanks.
Jordan Cook
>how do i be more spontaneous and expressive?
>still posting pasta instead of properly explaining how they feel
this post really was only good for a second-level joke and about shit else.
Camden Hughes
It was a proper explanation of how I felt at the time, and I feel exactly the same way now, so why would the words change?
Isaiah Cooper
>part of me craves human interaction in small doses so I can't "just play a video game", but it's really mentally exhausting for me to the point of being not fun. >in small doses
Sorry, but roleplaying would be out of the things you might want. Roleplaying is not only about pretending/acting to be someone else - is so that other people can make discusion with it.
An actor without audience is just a dancer without music.
A troll without audience is truly retarded.
You might be interested in MMOs or maybe come TCGs online.
That, or maybe some solo RPGs, but I am afraid I only have this one link that was posted previously on this board, and it limits you to no interaction with other people.
>is so that other people can make discusion with it. I don't follow. Do you mean like having a Skype chat about the game so the group can discuss between sessions? I already did that and I enjoy it.
Dominic Bailey
Part of it, yes. What I was reffering to is that roleplaying is pretty much interacting with other players on the moment so that they can roleplay in as well.
